Manuel Neuer had just dispelled any remaining doubts about his own participation in the World Cup when the German national goalkeeper thought of the unlucky Timo Werner.
"Of course it's annoying. Timo is also a very important player for our team, with speed, with the right timing," said Neuer about the failure of the best DFB striker for the finals in Qatar with an ankle injury The FC Bayern goalkeeper knows that after his injured left shoulder has healed just in time.
"We have to play with the players who are available, but we still have very good players. I'm optimistic, I'll continue," said the 36-year-old after the 3-2 draw with Bayern Munich in his comeback game in the Bundesliga at Hertha BSC. Neuer does not want to publicly participate in the search game that has just broken out for a World Cup goal guarantor for national coach Hansi Flick a week before departure. "There are no theories from me," he said when asked whether Bremen's Niclas Füllkrug should come into play.
Choupo-Moting "he once played for the U21s"
Neuer's possible preference was mentioned quite casually, but this is of course impossible due to the FIFA rules - which Neuer also knows. After all, in the past few weeks they have just discovered Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting at Bayern as the ideal centre-forward. In Berlin, he scored within a few seconds in the seventh game in a row with his curious stumble double pack, screwing up his quota for the period to nine hits.
"He used to play for the U21s," Neuer recalled. That was in 2009. Neuer's current Bayern substitute Sven Ulreich was in the German goal back then, and a certain Thomas Müller also played for the juniors. But then came competitive appearances for Cameroon for Choupo-Moting. The 33-year-old is therefore no longer eligible to play for Germany.
It was clear that Neuer regretted this. Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann also praised the qualities of the native of Hamburg, although he does not find the upswing of the attacker, who has long been neglected in Bayern orbit in the shadow of Robert Lewandowski, surprising. "When he's fit, we know he has exceptional quality and he's showing it now," said the Bayern coach. This is a "logical consequence".
